CHILDREN and teenagers will be banned from using sunbeds next month – but there will be nothing to stop under-18s from visiting unmanned tanning salons.

Former Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan’s backbench legislation, which imposes an 18 age limit on sunbed use, comes into force on April 8, but the regulations outlawing unmanned coin-operated salons will not apply until October 31 in Wales.

Tanning salon owners will be responsible for ensuring all customers are over 18, but no staff are present to police the new age limit in many high street coin-operated booths.

It remains unclear whether England will follow suit and ban unmanned salons, which have been involved in a string of incidents of young children and teenagers suffering first-degree burns after using the powerful, unattended equipment.

Campaigners, including Jill McRae, whose daughter Kirsty was hospitalised after spending 19 minutes on a coin-operated sunbed, spoke of their disappointment at the “fragmented” approach to the law.

Mrs McRae, a health and safety officer from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, said: “It suggests that the crux of the matter has not been fully understood, which is contrary to what the whole campaign was about.

“The level of interest and concern on this subject prompted by Kirsty’s case confirmed that there was apparently real concern not only in Wales, but also in England.

“While the initial legislation will be enacted in April, in many respects it is putting the cart before the horse, as the greater risk, in my opinion, lies with the unmanned salons.”

Mrs Morgan was inspired to introduce a private members’ Bill to ban under-18s from using sunbeds after reading about Kirsty’s case in 2009. Her Bill was passed by Parliament on the last day of the Labour Government last year.

The Bill also gave the Assembly Government the ability to introduce additional regulations requiring all sunbeds to be supervised and for safety goggles and health information to be provided in salons.

The Assembly Government has already consulted on the regulations, but they cannot be introduced until six months after the primary legislation comes into effect.

Julie Barratt, director of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in Wales, said: “Julie Morgan’s Sunbed Regulation Act is very much a stepping stone for Wales.

“The coming into force of the regulations later this year will ensure unstaffed salons, where children can wander in and expose themselves to as much radiation as their pocket money will allow, will be outlawed and everyone over the age of 18 who chooses to use a sunbed will be given proper advice by trained staff.”

She added: “After October, sunbeds will be better controlled and safer in Wales. I hope now that England and Northern Ireland will follow the Assembly Government’s example.”

Mrs Morgan said: “This six-month period will allow businesses to prepare for the implementation of the regulations – it seems perfectly reasonable to me that businesses are given this time.”

An Assembly Government spokesman today denied there was a delay in banning unmanned salons, adding: “The Sunbeds (Regulation) Act 2010 introduces a ban on sunbed businesses offering or allowing under 18s to use or access sunbeds on their premises and provides Welsh ministers with regulation-making powers to introduce further legislative controls on sunbed use.

“The Assembly Government is unable to introduce regulations introducing further legislative controls until after April 8. A six-month period has been built in to allow businesses and local authorities time to prepare and adjust to the new legislative requirements. It is the intention for these regulations to come into force on October 31.